Battling Resonance
by Corianin
Summary: Laughter is the best medicine. And friendship is forever. (Sequel to Discovering Resonance, and fifth in the Realms of Resonance series)
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: So this is the fifth story in the Realms of Resonance series. I've realized that I have been kind of writing this Star Wars style...the original trilogy first, followed by the prequel trilogy. It's probably a bit confusing, but I figure whichever order you read it in, it'll still get the gist of the storyline across. Therefore - here ya go!

* * *

"Just because you've finally hooked up with Maka doesn't make you a bigger man than I am!" Black Star's voice rang out across the pool and Maka exchanged a glance with Tsubaki, both girls rolling their eyes. It was a wonderfully warm summer day and the entire group was over at Kid's house relaxing and enjoying the fact that, for the first time in ages, they had a break from being busy. The two girls were stretched out on towels, loving the feel of the sun caressing their skin. Beside them were Patty and Liz, the former laying on her stomach and snoring lightly while her older sister reclined on a chaise lounge and slowly stroked nail polish over her fingernails. The three guys were in the pool, mostly just swimming around, but with Black Star everything had to be a competition and now here he was trying to goad Soul into another one.

"Being with Maka doesn't make me bigger than you – I do that all on my own," the white-haired weapon rebutted from his place reclining against the stairs. Kid snorted quietly and Tsubaki groaned, knowing how her meister took to challenges. Sure enough, it took about a second and a half and the ninja was standing in front of Soul, confident belligerence on his features.

"Come on, Soul. You know you don't stand a chance. I could beat you with both hands behind my back."

"As if." Soul closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

"Well, let's do this then!" Black Star's voice was firm, and Soul cracked one eye open to regard his friend with a look full of tolerant annoyance.

"What, exactly, is it that you two are going to be doing?" Kid interjected from his spot on his (perfectly symmetrical) floating lounge.

"Really? You want to do this _now_?" The exasperation in the weapon's voice was obvious.

"Absolutely. Unless, of course, you're afraid to lose. I wouldn't blame you. You're never gonna beat me." Black Star stared smugly at his apparent adversary, who simply sighed heavily and closed his eye again.

"Fine. But if you're going to push this issue, don't you think you'd better at least _ask_ Maka first?"

"Ask me what?" The blond rolled over from her stomach to her back and propped herself up on her elbows in time to see Black Star gaping at her partner.

"You didn't tell her? Man, I thought you would have by now."

"Nope. This was your fucked up idea. So you get the honors. Besides," Soul said with a grin, "it'll be nice to not be the one getting Maka-chopped for once." Immediately the female meister was apprehensive, and Tsubaki and Liz joined her in staring across the pool at the confrontation taking place.

"But she's _your_ bedwarmer!" Black Star blustered, obviously trying to take control of the conversation once more.

"So's your girlfriend on occasion, but I wouldn't presume to try and tell Tsubaki something like this." Soul still hadn't opened his eyes but Maka could feel his amusement.

"What are you two talking about?" Maka demanded, and she was treated to the odd sight of Black Star swallowing hard before turning to face her.

"Well..." he began, and suddenly she was very curious about what they boys had been discussing. Black Star was never hesitant. After a few moments of silence, Soul just sighed and sat up, raking a hand through his already tousled hair.

"What Mister Big here is trying to _not_ say, apparently, is that he told me he could do a much better job in satisfying you sexually than I can."

Cue cricket chirp.

"Black Star?" Maka asked, slight disbelief and speculation flavoring her words. The boy in question snapped out of whatever nervous state he was in and was once more the brash, overconfident fighter he normally was.

"Absolutely. See, I've had a lot more experience than your weapon here -" he jerked a thumb towards Soul, who just smirked, "- and I figured I could make you scream in ways he wouldn't even know how." Everyone was sitting up at this point, watching the interactions of the three in question. Even Patty was awake, her usual babble uncharacteristically overruled by the curiosity infusing them all. Maka just blinked.

"So, what, you guys bet on who was better in bed?" Maka's voice was even, giving no hint of her thoughts whatsoever, and Kid snickered.

"That's just...funny," he said evenly. Black Star looked over at him.

"What, Kid, you think you could do better?"

"Oh, I know I could. But I'd never presume to make a lady the subject of a wager." The factual tone of his voice combined with the mild rebuke made the blue-haired boy sputter.

"She's not a lady – she's Maka!" he shouted...not seeming to realize what had just fallen out of his mouth without his conscious permission. Liz groaned out loud, and even Soul shook his head.

"Dude..." the weapon whispered, his hand coming up to cover his eyes. "That was really stupid."

"What? She's Maka! We've been friends, like, forever, and yeah, she's sexier than hell but she's no lady." The wincing was universal this time.

"So nice to know you think so highly of me," the blond in question murmured. No one had noticed her rising to her feet but now she was standing at the edge of the pool just across from the big-mouthed ninja. He missed the sarcasm in her voice.

"I do," he nodded. "You're one of us. You're a lot of things, Maka, but lady? No way. You're too cool to be a lady." She blinked, realizing that in his own way the boy was actually complimenting her. She shook her head.

"Black Star, you...have a way with words," she finished, rolling her eyes again.

"Yup, I know I do. So, how about it? Me and you, and I show this punk who the real big man is here."

"I can't believe you're serious," she said dryly.

"Absolutely. Tsubaki can vouch for me, can't you?" The weapon tossed her long braid over her shoulder and shrugged at Maka.

"Black Star is pretty good," she said, a grin on her face. Maka just shook her head, her voice coming out as a growl.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't even a possibility until I'm sure you know I'm not an object to be traded around." Grabbing her towel, slightly miffed at the entire situation, she turned her back on the group and walked inside, heading up to the shower in the guest room she and Soul used when they stayed over. She was out of her bikini and under the warm spray in no time at all, and she leaned her arms against the shower wall and closed her eyes, bending her head forward and letting the gentle percussion of the water massage her neck and back. _What on earth would possess those two to even come up with such a stupid bet?_ she wondered, irritation coming to the fore. She shifted, standing up and leaning her face into the spray, feeling the drops cascading over her eyelids, her cheekbones. With the water drumming down on her head she didn't hear the bathroom door open, so Liz's quiet greeting shocked her.

"Hey, Maka, you okay? You seemed a little pissed." There was a thump as the meister knocked over the bottle of shower gel.

"Holy shit, Liz, you startled me!"

"Oh, sorry. Thought you would have heard the door."

"That's okay, I just didn't expect anyone to come in." She chuckled a bit.

"So, are you okay?" the blond weapon reiterated. Maka sighed.

"I know that everyone...well, that you all are more – let's say, open, with each other. And I'm kind of getting used to it, but it's still really hard for me. And then with this, with them making stupid bets about me behind my back...how would you feel?"

"Honestly? I'd go for it." Maka poked her head around the shower curtain, dripping water on the tile and staring incredulously at the girl who was currently sitting casually on the counter.

"What? Why?" Liz's grin was wicked.

"You have two hot guys arguing over who could please you more. You know that they'd both give it their all. So at worst you'd have to deal with two very determined lovers doing their damnedest to make you feel amazing. Of course I'd be down with that. What I can't figure out is why you're not." Blue eyes filled with amused curiosity met green ones.

"Because it's...well, it's rude. I mean, they didn't even ask me if I'd be interested!"

"I can understand you being ticked at that. But seriously...are you going to let a little irritation keep you from enjoying some bound-to-be-mindblowing sex?" Liz laughed at the blush that raced over Maka's face.

"I don't see you lining up," the girl in the shower muttered, ducking back behind the curtain again.

"I don't have to – this isn't about me. And besides, I've already had Black Star." Maka's head shot out around the curtain again, eyes wide.

"You what?" Liz nodded. "Seriously?"

"You said it yourself, girl. We're all a lot more open with each other than you are. In fact, at this point we're all just kind of waiting on you. We want you to be comfortable."

"What do you mean, you're all waiting on me?" Maka's voice was shrill, surprised, and Liz smiled wryly.

"Exactly what I said. You've been to bed with Soul and Tsubaki, and the rest of us want in on the action sometime too. But not if you're not cool with it. So it's all up to you. Join us, don't – it's all you, hon." The blond weapon pulled her legs up on the counter to rest her heels on the edge and lean backwards against the mirror, smiling at the expression on her friend's face.

"So...you, and Patty...Black Star...Kid..?" Liz just grinned.

"You already know about Black Star, thanks to his lovely outburst downstairs. And Patty and I would love a chance to take you to bed. Kid – well, he's insanely attracted to your symmetry."

"My symmetry?" Some part of Maka's mind was trying to wrap itself around the surrealistic conversation, and the rest of it was simply confused.

"Your tendency to wear side ponytails, for one. I know he'd love a chance to get his hands on that – he loves long hair on a woman, and those ponytails of yours would make excellent handles, if you catch my meaning." It took her a minute but Maka did indeed catch her meaning, and the images that flooded through her brain had her as red as a lobster. With a gasp she ducked back behind the curtain again, swearing to herself that she wasn't looking back out again for several hours. Maybe days. At the meister's abrupt dash for hiding, Liz threw back her head and laughed out loud.

"Well, hon, I'm gonna head back down to the group. You just shower and think about what I've said, okay? Have fun!" This time Maka heard the door shut and she slumped against the tiled wall.

_Was she serious? I mean, I know that they've got a very...intertwined...relationship. Tsubaki's mentioned it a couple of times. So has Soul. I wonder if Soul wants to be part of it as well? He's never said anything to me – he always lets me choose whether or not to invite Tsubaki over, but he's obviously discussed it with the others. _She lathered her hair with something that smelled like Hawaiian ginger. _What if I did...go along with this? Black Star and I have been friends for as long as I can imagine. Would it be weird? _Rinsing out the shampoo, she squeezed a blob of conditioner into her hand and began to work it through the wet length. By the end of her shower she still wasn't any less confused than she had been before. She dried off, got dressed, and couldn't put off rejoining the others any longer, not if she didn't want them to worry. Grabbing a book at random from her bag, she decided she was going to just sit and observe them all for a while under the pretext of reading. With hesitant steps she walked downstairs and back out onto the patio.

Everyone was in the pool. She saw Liz look over and wink at her, and Soul smiled reassuringly. She saw Black Star and Kid talking at one end of the pool, and Patty and Tsubaki were having some sort of splashing war, apparently. With a sigh she settled down in one of the porch chairs, stretching her legs out in front of her and opening her book. She knew for a fact that Soul would see right through her subterfuge, but she'd stopped trying to hide things from him ages ago anyway. No one else really noticed that she seemed to be turning pages at random, that her face lacked the usual concentration it wore when she was as involved in a book as she was pretending to be. Or else they noticed but chose not to say anything. After a while, though, she dove into the novel with vigor as she saw Black Star hoist himself easily out of the pool and head in her direction. She prayed her expression wasn't betraying her. Eyes firmly ghosting over the words she wasn't actually seeing, she heard a slight scrape as he pulled up a chair beside her.

"Maka – I'm sorry." She blinked and gave up on her camouflage, putting the book on the table and turning to face her friend fully.

"I know you are, Black Star, but really...talking about me with my partner like I'm some sort of...conquest? That's not cool. It...it hurt a bit," she finished softly, looking away. "I mean, I'm still kind of new to all of this, and you know...well, you know about all the crap with my father, and I'm adjusting slowly but it's -" He cut her off by placing one finger over her lips.

"I understand, Maka. I never meant to hurt you. Soul, either. We just...well, we talk a lot is all. And it was a stupid idea but I really am interested – not just because I have something to prove!" he said vehemently when she raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. "I'm just digging myself in deeper here, I think, right?" She nodded, and he took a deep breath.

"Fact is, Maka, I've always thought you were cute. Even when we were little kids – I had this huge crush on you. But you never noticed, and then we ended up in the DWMA and you partnered with Soul and I found Tsubaki and now everything's just awesome! Except I really would like a chance to..." he trailed off, and she was surprised to see a very faint trace of pink on his cheeks, gone almost as soon as she noticed it. "But I promise, I won't bring it up again. No one will. I just didn't think it would bother you so much...being with me, I mean." This time it was Maka's turn to shush him, only she did so by placing a kiss on his forehead.

"It's not you I object to, Black Star. I think I might...eventually...be interested in, maybe, expanding my horizons a little...maybe with you. It was just that you guys were kind of...treating me like a prize to be won or something. It made me feel cheap."

"Not possible," he said, reaching out to take her hand. "You could never be cheap, Maka. Do you have any idea how important you are to all of us? We're great fighters, we work well together – but without you, we're all just kind of alone. You're the one that holds us all together – your determination, your drive. You reign in Soul and me when we're getting out of hand. Sometimes you manage to calm Kid's OCD just by talking to him. You make us a group. And I am so, so sorry for hurting you." He stood up and began to walk away, having said everything he'd come to say, but she stopped him by tugging on the hand she still held.

"Black Star..?" He turned to face her, and she saw friendship and affection glowing in his eyes, as well as a lingering shame.

"Yeah?"

"You're pretty awesome, you know that right?" She smiled as his shoulders squared and he visibly buried the rarely-seen angsty side of himself beneath the standard persona he wore like a cloak.

"Of course I am. I'm the most awesome guy here." He shot her a grin and squeezed her fingers, then darted back to the pool yelling "Black Star cannonball!" before flying into the water with a splash that reached her feet. She just chuckled and smiled to herself. He was a dork, but he was her friend. And maybe someday, he'd be a bit more. She had to admit that the idea wasn't as abhorrent as she might have thought it would be. With a sudden clarity of thought Maka had an idea. She made herself view him not as a friend but as a potential lover, letting her gaze follow him not as Black Star, eternal friend and the kid that used to alternately tug on her pigtails and offer her the bigger half of his cookies, but as Black Star, the strong, skilled fighter. She was shocked when she realized he was actually kind of...hot, in his own way. If her conversation with Liz hadn't happened she likely wouldn't have put any of her observations into a sexual context, but thanks to the blond's comments earlier she couldn't help but think of those muscles flexing, stretching...

With a jolt Maka realized that her pulse was starting to rise. She watched him in the pool. She knew his speed, knew his strength. Knew that if it came down to a purely physical struggle he could likely leave her tied in a knot around a tree without even breaking a sweat. And her disobedient thoughts immediately forced her acknowledgment of what that kind of power could mean in bed. He could hold her however he wanted her, and she wouldn't be able to struggle free. She'd be at his mercy. If that had been true of anyone else, she would have freaked out and immediately changed the subject of her thoughts. But it wasn't anyone else. It was Black Star, and she trusted him implicitly. He would never hurt her.

Suddenly the idea of giving in began to look...good.


	2. Chapter 2

The movie had ended a while ago, but she and Soul were so comfortable on the couch that neither wanted to get up. The closest they got to actual movement was when Soul reached for the remote and turned off the television, letting the room fall into a quiet darkness. She nuzzled closer to his chest and sighed happily.

"Maka?" he asked, his voice quiet..

"Mmmm?"

"Were you really upset that Black Star and I...well, that talked about you?" She shook her head.

"Not really. Well, I kind of was, but it was more because it just felt like you were treating me like a possession. But Black Star and I talked it over, and I feel a lot better now." He hummed in approval and the room went quiet once more. It was Soul that broke the silence again.

"So...do you think you'd be interested?"

"In what?" Maka asked absently, her mind already drifting with pre-sleep.

"In...you know, in sleeping with Black Star." She was suddenly wide awake and sitting up, looking at her partner. There was something in the tone of his voice that she didn't quite understand.

"What do you think of the idea?" she asked, meeting his gaze and arching an eyebrow. To her shock he seemed a bit flustered.

"I...well, it's kind of...well, it's not about what I think, is it?" Suddenly she realized what the oddness in his demeanor was, and her eyes widened.

"You think it's hot, don't you?" she asked, completely flabbergasted. He turned his head to the side, pretending to be very interested in a spot on the arm of the couch.

"Maybe," he murmured, and Maka barked a laugh.

"So, let me get this straight – it was never about any competition, was it?" He didn't respond, so she grabbed his chin and turned his face to hers. "Was it, Soul? You just want to see me with another guy." She wasn't sure who was more surprised...him, that she'd figured it out, or her, that he wasn't denying it. She suddenly realized how much he liked sitting back and just watching when she and Tsubaki went at each other, but she'd thought that was the typical "two girls" fantasy most guys had. Now she was wondering if there wasn't more to the story. Her direct gaze finally prompted a reaction from him.

"Fine. Okay. No, it wasn't about a bet. Yes, I want to see you fuck him. So what if I'm a voyeur? You're ridiculously hot when you're having sex – anyone would want to watch that." He seemed almost embarrassed, and Maka thought it was adorable.

"Why haven't you said anything before?" she asked quietly, still reeling over her new understanding of the weapon she loved. He snorted.

"Maka, I almost lost you because we brought Tsubaki into it. I'll be damned if I risk that again."

"Oh, Soul..." she sighed, shifting position until she was straddling his hips. She could feel the very obvious evidence that the idea struck a chord with him – it was pulsing against her core and she reflexively ground herself onto him.

"Maka," he growled. "Stop teasing."

"Who's teasing?" she whispered and, reaching down to the hem of her shirt, pulled it off over her head in one smooth movement. She hadn't put a bra on after her shower, and she was very glad of that fact as her partner swooped into action and closed his teeth around one already peaked nipple. She moaned her appreciation and urged him on with wordless pleas. In a very short time he'd yanked her clothes off and tossed her onto the floor on her hands and knees. She heard the whisper of fabric behind her and then the feel of him pressed against her wetness.

"Death, Maka, I wanted so bad to fuck you today beside the pool," he growled, rubbing his cock up and down along her slit. She moaned and pressed backwards towards him, only to have him pull back just enough to keep the light contact.

"Who's teasing now?" she whimpered, and she could feel him grin.

"Behave, Maka," he cautioned.

"Or what?" she challenged, and suddenly he'd pulled back entirely, not touching her at all.

"Maybe I can go visit Tsubaki...I bet she's not busy tonight..." he mused, only to find out how quickly tables could turn when one's partner was horny. She pinned him to the ground and hovered over his swollen rod.

"And maybe I should just find Black Star and take him up on his offer. I mean, if you're not going to take advantage of the situation..." Her eyes were wicked, and then she was back on all fours as her weapon lunged forward, cramming himself into her with such force that she yelped in surprise.

"If you do fuck him, I want to watch," he ground out as he set a swift, hard pace. Maka lifted her rear, changing the angle a little and loving it when he grabbed her hips so force himself deeper. She yowled like a cat as he sped up a bit, taking every stroke he gave her and wanting more, and when he slowed down she whimpered in protest.

"So whaddaya say, Maka?" he asked breathlessly. She just groaned and pushed back against him.

"You're...really eager to...watch him with me...aren't you?" she gasped.

"Absolutely," he managed to bite out. They were both close, close enough that talking was abandoned in favor of moving, that thoughts of anything but the fire between them were pushed aside for later. Nothing was important now but their own connection and the intensity between them, and that knowledge pulled them both over the edge into oblivion.

* * *

He'd suggested they invite Tsubaki and Black Star over for dinner, just the two of them. He said she would probably feel more comfortable if she had a chance to talk to everyone involved, and make a decision with all the facts available – he knew her so well. So here she was, setting a huge casserole on the table and trying to decide exactly what her nervousness meant in the grand scheme of things.

"Wow. That smells amazing!" Soul said appreciatively, sniffing the air as he sauntered into the kitchen, the ends of his still-damp hair occasionally dripping water down onto his bare shoulders. She glanced up at her weapon, chuckling to see he was just in a pair of boxers, and waved him towards the bedroom.

"Thank you. Now you should go get some clothes on." He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning forward to bury his nose in her hair.

"Mmmm...nah. Don't wanna. You feel too good to let go."

"Soul," she sighed with a grin. "I'm serious. We're having this dinner to determine whether or not I'd be willing to sleep with Black Star, not to showcase your -" she leaned back against him, rubbing her pert ass against his groin. "- attributes, impressive though they may be. I will not feed you if you don't at least put some pants on."

"Spoilsport," he murmured, giving her neck one small kiss before heading into the room again. She just shook her head at his tenacity and went back to pulling out plates, glasses, and silverware. She'd just finished setting everyone up when the knock at the door made her heart jump into some sort of old-time country two step rhythm.

"Come on in – it's open," she called out, turning back to the kitchen to bring out the tray of cream cheese crab roll appetizers and a pitcher of juice.

"Damn, Maka, you sure can cook some good-smelling food." Black Star's exclamation made her laugh as she wandered back in.

"Glad you approve – of the smells, at least." She walked over to hug Tsubaki, who was closer, and the girl returned the embrace fondly. Then she hugged Black Star – a perfectly normal occurrence, but with the current situation his arms around her, even for that brief moment, sent a tingle shooting straight up her spine. And she couldn't be sure, but it seemed he'd felt it too.

"Not even in the door two minutes and already you're putting the moves on my woman," Soul laughed from the direction of the bedroom. Maka was going to turn around but Black Star grabbed her hand and spun her back into his arms, looking at Soul smugly over her shoulder.

"Of course. I am the greatest guy ever," he said with a grin. Maka caught Tsubaki'e eye and they both shook their heads. Soul, however, wouldn't be bested. With a quick motion he tugged the female weapon into his arms, wrapping his arms over hers and pinning her against him, nuzzling her earlobe.

"Well, then, since you've got mine you won't mind at all if I borrow yours then."

"Be my guest," the ninja replied.

"Hey, you two! What do you think we are – property?" The two males shared a wicked look.

"'Bout right," they said in unison. Maka pulled free and tugged her girlfriend out of her weapon's grip.

"Well, fine, since we're property, then you two are on your own for dinner, right Tsubaki?"

"Right!" the brunette said happily. Their smirks faded quickly at the thought that food might be withheld for snarkyness, and in no time at all there were four people sitting at the table stuffing their faces and enjoying the company. It wasn't until dinner had been cleared away and dessert was brought out – an extra-large cheesecake smothered in strawberries – that the subject at hand turned back to the very thing that Maka had been puzzling over for days. And it all started with an errant drop of strawberry sauce.

Maka was sitting between Soul and Black Star, with Tsubaki across from her, and since they were all talking she neglected to realize that she had a small drop of strawberry sauce resting just at the corner of her mouth. Tsubaki noticed first and gestured.

"You've got sauce on your mouth," the weapon said, but before Maka could wipe it away Black Star spoke up.

"I've got this." And with no further prompting he leaned over and kissed the female meister softly, letting his tongue flicker out to swipe the strawberry goo from her lips. Conversation stopped. Soul and Tsubaki stared at the other two, and Maka stared at Black Star. The blue-haired ninja grinned unashamedly.

"There ya go. All gone." Maka's brain was slowly working into overdrive. His lips on hers had been soft, sure, his entire bearing infused with the confidence he was so known for...and it showed in his actions. She couldn't quite think her way around it. Her closest friend for most of her life, and it hadn't even been a real kiss, but it was powerful, all right, and it boggled her mind. She just stared.

"Black Star, I swear if you broke my girlfriend, I'm gonna kick your ass," Soul growled playfully, and the sound of his comment drew her out of whatever fugue state she'd been in. She shook her head and turned bright red. Black Star, of course, was delighted. He turned to Soul.

"Damn. You didn't tell me it was this fun to make her blush! Wonder what other reactions she has..?"

"You should see the look on her face when I bite the nape of her neck," Soul offered, and suddenly the conversation revolved around the subject of what got her going in bed. Tsubaki was sitting quietly, enjoying her cheesecake and smiling as the boys got more and more descriptive. Maka wanted to slide under the table. Instead she devoted all of her attention to her dessert, ignoring both her own blush and the increasingly racy back-and-forth between her lover and her friend.

"So, Maka – have you thought about it?" Black Star's voice was teasing, and she looked up to see three sets of eyes looking at her with varying degrees of curiosity.

"I...um...well, kinda...but I...uh..."

"You don't sound too sure," he offered with a grin. "How about I kiss you for real and then you make up your mind?"

"Makes sense to sample the goods before shelling out the cash," Soul said nonchalantly. Maka looked up, hoping for some solidarity on the girl front, but Tsubaki was just licking cheesecake off her fingers and smiling contentedly. Feeling outnumbered – and a bit intrigued – Maka sighed.

"Fine. You guys aren't going to leave me alone until I do, so let's just do this." Black Star regarded her critically.

"Maka, it's not like that. If you're not down with this, I'm okay with that. I don't want you to think we're pressuring you or anything. You're just a lot of fun to tease. So if you don't want me to kiss you, then I won't. No hard feelings." She closed her eyes briefly, concentrating on deciphering her own feelings. She found anticipation, curiosity, a very mild fear of the unknown...but no pressure. Looking at the guy she'd known for so long, she just smiled.

"Do your best, ninja boy." His eyes lit up at her acquiescence and he leaned over, gently brushing his lips against hers. There it was, that tingle again. He pulled away, and she almost pouted.

"If that was your best, I feel bad for Tsubaki," she quipped, and the look on his face turned wicked.

"No, that was just testing the waters. Come here." He reached out and tugged her hand, coaxing her off of her chair and onto his lap. Figuring to disarm him a bit she joined him easily, but instead of sitting sideways like he'd been expecting she gave him a mischievous look of her own and straddled his lap. His soft hum of approval made her smile. Sitting there, she expected him to simply dive right in but he shocked her by reaching for her hair. It was the work of a few seconds to loosen the ponytails, and his strong fingers stroked through her unbound hair, loosening it and tracing down its full length.

"Are you sure?" he asked, giving her one last out, but the desire in his eyes robbed her of her voice so she just nodded. And then he had one hand tangled in her hair, tilting her head just so, and he captured her mouth with a solid determination that left her reeling. He didn't ask, he demanded, and as his other arm trapped her against his chest she found she really didn't want to fight him on this. She moaned under the onslaught and shifted closer to him, her questions and inhibitions sliding right off of her as he deepened the kiss, leaving her breathless. After what felt like forever, or a few seconds, he toned it down and allowed her up for air. She was panting, her chest heaving, and staring at him like she'd never seen him before.

"You taste like strawberries and cheesecake," he murmured, letting go of her hair to run his fingers down her neck. The shiver that wracked her had nothing to do with cold. This time she initiated the kiss, leaning forward to suck his bottom lip between her own and bite down gently before fusing their mouths together. He responded eagerly, more than willing to let her take control for the moment, and she could feel the slight quiver in his muscles as she stroked his bare arms. She tried for gentle and reassuring, but learned very quickly that such a thing was not a normal component of a Black Star kiss, and before long he'd leaned her back against the table without separating them, coaxing a soft whine from her as he did so. Her eyes had fluttered closed shortly after she'd begun this kiss, but they soon flew open as he abandoned her mouth to nip a gentle trail along her jaw. She moaned loudly and the sound seemed to startle them both, meeting each other's wide-eyed gazes with matching expressions of wonder and shock.

"So...I guess that's a yes, then?" Soul piped up, having leaned back in his chair to watch the show. Maka and Black Star suddenly remembered their audience and turned to see the smug countenances of their weapons. Against her best intentions she felt herself blushing – a state that did not escape the notice of the meister whose lap she was currently sitting on. She could feel how affected he was as well, and it triggered a corresponding pulse deep within her. Black Star was still holding her gently against the table and his eyes were soft.

"It's up to you. I'm sure you can tell I'd like to see where this goes." Once more she looked around at her friends, her lovers, before returning her eyes to his.

"I think it's my responsibility to make sure you're not misrepresenting yourself, Black Star," she said quietly, her decision loosening the tension she'd been trapped beneath since that day at the pool and replacing it with a different kind of tension. He just looked at her as though not believing what he was hearing.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, you've been bragging that you can make me scream. I dare you to try." Her playful challenge sparked an answering grin on his face.

"You asked for it, Maka," he growled, and suddenly she was hoisted into the air and pinned against the nearby wall as he proceeded to kiss her senseless. It felt perfectly natural for her arms to wind around his neck, for his hands to reach down to cup her ass and hold her still while he pressed against her. His dominating style tickled her own rarely-seen submissive side and she gave herself over to the sensations her friend was causing. By this point he'd abandoned her lips in favor of her neck, her collarbone, and when he reached her shirt he simply decided it was in the way and ripped it open down the front. She squealed indignantly – but then he closed his lips around her nipple through the material of her bra and she squealed for a different reason entirely. He tormented her like that for a while, first one then the other, and she was tossing her head back and forth and gasping his name and holding onto his shoulders like it was her last refuge against drowning. He worked his lips back up her chest, higher, until he was nipping her earlobe.

"I want you out of these clothes," he growled, and she felt him shift her so she could stand on her own, sliding her down his body and letting out an involuntary groan as she pressed against his trapped erection. One final kiss and he stepped back, his expression as cocky as usual but his eyes gleaming with desire. She realized that he intended her to strip herself, and that he was once more offering her an out if she chose to take it. Still, Maka had made up her mind already. Flashing a sultry grin that worked wonders on Soul, she let the tattered remains of her shirt drop off of her shoulders to land in a haphazard lump on the ground. She wasn't about to give Black Star all the control; with a saucy smile she rested her hands on her waistband near the button to her shorts.

"You mean these clothes?" she asked innocently. He didn't say anything, but the look he was giving her didn't bode well for the remainder of her outfit if she took too much longer. Behind him she caught sight Soul and Tsubaki, their rapt expressions making her grin. Before Soul she'd never considered herself an exhibitionist, but there was not a lot she wouldn't do to see that look of delight and arousal on his face, so she decided she was going to give them all the show they wanted. She turned around and walked a few steps away as she unbuttoned her shorts, glancing back over her shoulder with a cheeky wink for Black Star as she did so. Once she was a good four feet away from him, she moved her hands to her hips and gently, slowly pushed her jeans down, bending as she slid them down her legs. If the stunned look on his face was any indication, what worked so well for Soul was also a winner here. Soon she was bent at the waist, stepping out of the legs of her shorts one at a time, knowing she was giving him a perfect view of her ass in the lacy grey panties that were the final barrier between his eyes and her womanhood. She stood back up just as slowly and turned halfway towards him.

"Now, did you mean all my clothing, or was this good enough?" His mouth opened and closed a couple of times, but then he regained his composure and smirked.

"I dunno. Kind of hard for me to decide. How 'bout you hop up on the table and lean back and I'll see what I think then?" She blinked but complied, the odd thought running through her mind that she'd yet to use her table for anything but food and hoping it would be solid enough to stand up to...well, whatever he had planned. She noticed peripherally that their mates had slid their chairs back to maintain a good view of the proceedings, but then he was standing in front of her, his hands coaxing her legs apart and his eyes caressing every inch of her skin and she stopped really caring about anything.

"You know, this is hardly fair," she murmured. He arched an eyebrow quizzically. "Here I am in this wispy excuse for lingerie, and you've still got all of your clothes on. I think you should at least take off your vest."

"You just want to bask in the glory of my flawless physique," he teased as he removed the offending garment and tossed it...somewhere else. Maka didn't care where it landed – she was too busy taking in the impressive musculature of the boy who was now standing between her spread legs.

"Uh-huh," she murmured noncommittally, watching as he leaned over her, placing his hands on the table on either side of her hips and closing the gap between them until his breath was teasing the valley between her breasts.

"So do you want this to be quick and hot, or can I take my time?" he murmured. She shivered at the intent in his eyes.

"I think I told you to do your best – so that makes it up to you. Unless you think you can't handle it." That was apparently the right thing to say if the way his entire countenance lit up was any indication. In the blink of an eye he was kneeling on the floor, grasping her left ankle in one strong hand and running his tongue along the side of her calf. His breath was warm, but as it ghosted over the moisture left behind by his tongue the combination of warm and chill made her shiver and lean her head back. He spent what felt like ages exploring her legs with his mouth and hands, enjoying the obvious erogenous zones he found in his travels. To her surprise one of them was the hollow behind her knees, as she found out when she sucked gently on the sensitive skin and she saw stars. She was moaning steadily by the time he worked his way up her thighs and she knew she had soaked through her panties, and yet she wasn't embarrassed in the least. It had gone too far for embarrassment. Now she just wanted him to continue his skillful manipulations. When his fingers brushed her core through the sodden material she arched her back and let out a yelp, but when he shifted the material aside and replaced his fingers with his mouth she nearly cried. He was relentless, licking and sucking her throbbing tissue until she was near incoherent, eventually working one finger, then two, inside her and flicking them in contrapuntal time to the rhythm of his tongue. She wasn't surprised to feel herself building towards her climax, but when it hit it nearly knocked her senseless with its power. It wasn't a slow build, a steady climb – no, one minute she was feeling that lovely familiar tightening in the very depths of her core and the next he'd closed his teeth on her clit and curled his fingers inside her just so and she screamed as the pleasure slammed through her like a freight train. He coaxed her along, drawing out the tremors before gently bringing her back down from the heights he'd thrown her off of, and as she was regaining her breath he stood up and nestled himself tightly between her passion-limp thighs.

"Now that was a beautiful sound," he said, sounding pleased with himself. She would have said something sarcastic in return...if she had the breath. As it was she had to admit he'd earned the right to be proud. His hands under her back bowed her into an arch and he carefully unfastened her bra, laying her back down and drawing the thin straps down over her arms with surprising gentleness. Stepping back he repeated the smooth movements and divested her of her panties as well, and then she was treated to the rather erotic sight of Black Star slowly and purposefully unfastening his pants and pushing them off of his hips. Her eyes were drawn unerringly to the proof of his desire that pointed like an arrow at the one place she wanted him most. Her brain did a quick comparison between him and Soul and she noticed that while he was a little bit shorter, the increase in girth would definitely make up for it. With a coy smile she lifted one of her legs higher to rest her foot on the edge of the table. The motion opened her further and he smirked as he stepped closer, brushing the head of his cock against her wet folds.

"You ready for me to rock your world?" he asked with a self-confident mien. She just grinned.

"Bring it on." She wasn't prepared for the feel of him slamming fully into her in one forceful stroke, and the pressure and the slight friction burn stole her breath away, leaving her laying underneath him on the table with her eyes wide and her mouth open in shock.

"Don't bother trying to be quiet," he said in a whisper. "I want to hear you scream my name." Contrary to his initial thrust the pattern he set with his hips was slow, grinding himself against her with every entrance, teasing her with every withdrawal. His hands were still bracketing her hips and she could dimly hear the creaking of the table as he plunged into her repeatedly, but the sound was relegated to the 'so not important' area of her brain as he moved inside her.

He kept the pace steady, almost tortuously so, and soon she was whining and begging for more. She wrapped her legs tight around his hips and dragged him down flush with her, running her hands over the pronounced muscles of his back, his ass, feeling them shift and bunch as he took her.

"Harder," she gasped, and he complied, stepping up the force until she was shaking with each and every penetration.

"Faster," she pleaded, and once more he was happy to oblige. He pounded into her without mercy, and she was loving every minute of it, over and over again, her legs shaking with the strain of arching up to meet him. She moaned and cried out, loving every minute of the rough treatment, and she could feel herself building again, so she strained against him, wanting to feel him inside her when she peaked this time, arching and tugging and shifting, and she was right there and it was so close...

At first she thought it was her orgasm that gave her such a heady sensation of falling, but the pain as she landed on top of the collapsed table with Black Star still deep inside her cut through the last of the ecstasy haze and she yelped in shock. She knew his surprise was mirrored in her own eyes, and she had a brief thought that they should pause and see what the hell they'd done to her table...but then he slammed into her again and she threw her head back and gave in to the pleasure. The sensations outside of her little passion bubble barely registered...the feel of the wood beneath her bare skin, the chill of something against her neck and head...but it didn't matter.

"Maka," he growled, the sound lower and more raspy than she'd ever thought he could make, and it rippled down her spine like liquid lust. He urged her legs over his shoulders and shifted to take full advantage of the new position, driving her harder and faster, and she could feel the tenseness of his body, the strain of holding back, and the answering pressure in her own as his deep, solid thrusting scraped along her tight walls.

"Black Star," she panted, and he grinned, a manic expression that would have been frightening if it had been in any other situation.

"I told you to scream my name, not just whisper it, girl," he snarled, and she shivered again under the force of that tone. One hand came up to toy with her breasts, tugging her nipples and squeezing the small, sensitive mounds, and she couldn't think for the pleasure spiraling through her. She saw him grit his teeth and suddenly nothing in the world was more important than watching him lose himself inside her heat. The desperation she could feel in every move he made drove her higher and she thrilled that she could have this much of an effect on her oldest friend. Her final orgasm came as no shock, but she struggled to keep her eyes open and was glad she did. As it hit she screamed his name, just as he'd promised she would, and apparently that was the trigger he'd been waiting for. With a loud groan he crammed himself as deep as he could and she felt his body buck into hers as he emptied himself into her willing depths. The sensations were too much for her and she collapsed backwards, her eyes snapping shut and her arms wrapping around her lover, cradling him to her heaving chest. It was a while before either of them came back to reality, but what drew their attention was the applause. Maka cracked one eye open to see Soul and Tsubaki sitting in their chairs laughing hysterically and clapping.

"That was awesome!" Soul crowed, eyes alight with amusement and arousal. Tsubaki couldn't say anything – she was laughing too hard. Maka just groaned.

"I am going to be so bruised in the morning..." she muttered, causing Black Star to look up at her wearily.

"Um, yeah...sorry about your table..."

"And the cheesecake?" Tsubaki gasped out. The two naked meisters looked at her in confusion, but all she could do was gesture. With growing apprehension Maka lifted her hand to her hair...and yelped when she felt the cold gooey mess that had apparently cushioned her head when they fell. Her expression must have been something because before long Black Star was choking back laughter. Soul and Tsubaki weren't even trying to hide their mirth. And Maka, still feeling the aftershocks of the powerful coupling, still in fact feeling the way Black Star's slowly softening cock twitched with his own laughter, couldn't hold back any longer. Her head fell back into the squishy mess that used to be dessert and she began to laugh, long and hard, until tears were streaming down her cheeks and her stomach burned. Eventually when she could barely breathe Black Star pulled out of her and stood up, offering her his hand. She caught her breath slowly – only to lose it again when she turned around and saw the pile of broken wood and smeared creaminess, all topped with rather smashed strawberries. With a huff her knees gave out and she slumped to the floor, Soul joining her while Black Star wandered over to sit with Tsubaki.

"Next time..." Maka said calmly, once she could force her voice to some semblance of evenness.

"Next time what?" Black Star asked, still grinning. She looked up at her new lover and grinned back.

"Dinner's at your house. And you owe me a damn table."


End file.
